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  Compact solenoidRelated Patent Categories: Valves And Valve Actuation, Permanent Or Constantly Energized Magnet ActuatorThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070001135. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-190191 of Asai et al., filed on Jun. 29, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated into the present application by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a compact solenoid, a compact solenoid valve and, a compact latching solenoid valve. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] In such instruments as an apparatus for chemical examination, environmental analysis, or biotechnological research, it is an important issue to improve accuracy and to minimize a sample or reagent. This issue involves, in each system for mixture, reaction, and detection of fluid, a reduction of the length of fluid channel, a miniaturization of individual components, and a decrease of the entire internal volume of the system. Accordingly, it is also required to miniaturize a solenoid valve, which is broadly used in the fluid control section of the apparatus. Especially when more than one solenoid valves are arranged side by side, the miniaturization of each solenoid valve will directly conduce to a reduction of the length of fluid channel, and therefore, the miniaturization of the solenoid valve can be the most important issue. [0006] Generally, a solenoid valve is comprised of a solenoid, a movable core reciprocably arranged inside the solenoid, a valve element arranged at the leading end of the movable core, and so on. The solenoid includes a coil and a frame located outside of the coil. The frame is fabricated of a magnetic material thereby constitutes a magnetic circuit. [0007] The frame is categorized into two types; an open frame and a closed frame. The closed frame 5A illustrated in FIGS. 12A, 12B and 12C has a hollowed cylindrical shape, and covers all over the outer circumference 14A of the coil 1A. The open frame 5B illustrated in FIGS. 14A, 14B, 14C and 14D has a U-shaped vertical section. Assuming that the outer circumference 14B of the coil 1B has four sides, the frame 5B covers two of them. One example of the open frame is disclosed in JP 2001-178104 A. [0008] If four compact solenoid valves employing a compact solenoid with a closed frame 5A are arranged side by side, as shown in FIG. 13, the footprint of the four compact solenoid valves is 81 mm.sup.2, provided that the outer diameter of the coil 1A is 4 mm and the outer diameter of the frame 5A is 4.5 mm. [0009] If four compact solenoid valves employing a compact solenoid with an open frame 5B are arranged side by side, as shown in FIG. 15, the footprint of the four compact solenoid valves is 75.2 mm.sup.2, provided that the outer diameter of the coil 1B is 4 mm and the width of the frame 5B is 4.7 mm. [0010] As has been described above, conventional compact solenoids have large footprints. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] The object of the present invention is a further miniaturization of a compact solenoid, and thereby, a further miniaturization of a compact solenoid valve and a compact latching solenoid valve. [0012] The compact solenoid according to the present invention includes a coil and a frame located outside of the coil for constituting a magnetic circuit. The frame includes a plurality of bars located proximate to the outer circumference of the coil in parallel to the axial direction of the coil. Each of the bars has a generally triangular cross section. The bars are disposed to have a mutual positional relationship corresponding to arbitrary vertexes of any polygon. [0013] According to the compact solenoid of the present invention, the plural bars of the frame are so arranged to have a positional relationship corresponding to vertexes of a polygon, and the bars extend in parallel to the axial direction of the coil, in proximity to the outer circumference of the coil. Moreover, each of the bars has a generally triangular cross section. Accordingly, the width of the frame is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the coil, so that the compact solenoid is further miniaturized. Therefore, the footprint of the compact solenoids, when a plurality of them are laid out side by side, is reduced as compared with the footprint of conventional compact solenoids. [0014] In this compact solenoid according to the present invention, it is desired that the polygon is a rectangle and, that four bars of the frame are disposed to have a mutual positional relationship corresponding to four vertexes of the rectangle. Of course, a rectangle includes a square. [0015] With this arrangement, when the coil has a circular cross section, the four bars are located in positions corresponding to vertexes of a square. Then the length of each side of the square defined by the four bars, i.e. the width of the frame is set substantially equal to the outer diameter of the coil, so that the compact solenoid is further miniaturized. In addition, this arrangement simplifies the structure of the frame, and thereby facilitates the manufacturing of the compact solenoid. [0016] When the coil has an oval cross section, the four bars are located in positions corresponding to vertexes of a rectangle, not of a square. Then the length of a longer side of the rectangle defined by the four bars, i.e. the width of a longer side of the frame is generally equal to the major axial length of the coil, whereas the length of a shorter side of the rectangle, i.e. the width of a shorter side of the frame is generally equal to the minor axial length of the coil, so that the compact solenoid is further miniaturized. In addition, this arrangement simplifies the structure of the frame, and thereby facilitates the manufacturing of the compact solenoid. [0017] The compact solenoid valve according to the present invention includes a coil, a movable core reciprocably arranged inside the coil, a valve element located at the leading end of the movable core, and a frame located outside of the coil for constituting a magnetic circuit. The frame includes a plurality of bars extending in parallel to the moving direction of the movable core and located proximate to the outer circumference of the coil. Each of the bars has a generally triangular cross section. The bars are disposed to have a mutual positional relationship corresponding to arbitrary vertexes of any polygon. [0018] According to the compact solenoid valve of the present invention, the plural bars of the frame are so disposed to have a positional relationship corresponding to vertexes of a polygon, and the bars extend in parallel to the moving direction of the movable core, and in proximity to the outer circumference of the coil. Moreover, each of the bars has a generally triangular cross section. Accordingly, the width of the frame is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the coil, so that the compact solenoid valve is further miniaturized. Therefore, the footprint of the compact solenoid valves, when a plurality of them are laid out side by side, is reduced as compared with the footprint of conventional compact solenoid valves. [0019] In this compact solenoid valve according to the present invention, it is desired that the polygon is a rectangle, and that four bars of the frame are disposed to have a mutual positional relationship corresponding to four vertexes of the rectangle. This arrangement enables further miniaturization of a compact solenoid valve. In addition, this arrangement simplifies the structure of the frame, and thereby facilitates the manufacturing of the compact solenoid valve. [0020] The compact latching solenoid valve according to the present invention includes a coil, a movable core reciprocably arranged inside the coil, a permanent magnet located adjacent to the coil, a valve element located at the leading end of the movable core, and a frame located outside of the coil for constituting a magnetic circuit. The frame includes a plurality of bars extending in parallel to the moving direction of the movable core and located proximate to the outer circumference of the coil. Each of the bars has a generally triangular cross section. The bars are disposed to have a mutual positional relationship corresponding to arbitrary vertexes of any polygon. [0021] According to the compact latching solenoid valve of the present invention, the plural bars of the frame are so disposed to have a mutual positional relationship corresponding to vertexes of a polygon, and the bars extend in parallel to the moving direction of the movable core, and in proximity to the outer circumference of the coil. Moreover, each of the bars has a generally triangular cross section. Accordingly, the width of the frame is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the coil, so that the compact latching solenoid valve is further miniaturized. Therefore, the footprint of the compact latching solenoid valves, when a plurality of them are laid out side by side, is reduced as compared with that of conventional compact latching solenoid valves. [0022] In this compact latching solenoid valve according to the present invention, it is desired that the polygon is a rectangle, and that four bars of the frame are disposed to have a mutual positional relationship corresponding to four vertexes of the rectangle. This arrangement enables further miniaturization of a compact latching solenoid valve. In addition, this arrangement simplifies the structure of the frame, and thereby facilitates the manufacturing of the compact latching solenoid valve. Continue reading... Full patent description for Compact solenoid Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Compact solenoid patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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